In the Gironde, the winter cold changes a lot from one place to another. One winter in ten, it falls to about −8 °C in Bordeaux and on the coast, −10 °C in the Libournais and the Entre-deux-Mers, and −11 °C in the Landes girondines. On the shores of the Bassin d'Arcachon, it stays at around −6 °C.
We went through thirty winters of Météo-France records, from 1996 to 2026, and compared them with the hardiness of each of our plants. Choose your area below. You will find:
- the citrus trees that spend the winter outdoors without protection;
- those that need a fleece on frosty nights;
- those that stay in a pot.
The lists are kept up to date: only the plants available today are shown with a photo.
- −5 °C or milder
- −6 to −7 °C
- −8 to −9 °C
- −10 to −11 °C
- −12 to −13 °C
- −14 to −15 °C
- −16 to −17 °C
- −18 to −19 °C
- −20 °C and colder
Colour: the cold of one winter in ten, on the plain. Click on a neighbouring département to see its page. Map of the whole of France.
Choose your area:
−8 °Cone winter in ten
Bordeaux and the estuary
Bordeaux, Mérignac, Pessac, Talence, Bègles, Villenave-d'Ornon, Blanquefort, Pauillac
See the citrus trees for this area
The Bordeaux area and the banks of the estuary are the mildest part of the inland: −8 °C one winter in ten, −5 °C in an ordinary winter. The city freezes less than its outskirts: one winter in ten, Bordeaux (Paulin) falls to −7.5 °C, Bordeaux-Mérignac to −8.8 °C. Orange trees, satsumas, yuzus, kumquats, citranges and the hardiest clementines spend the winter outdoors here; lemon trees and the other clementines need a fleece on frosty nights, against a south-facing wall.
Villenave-d'Ornon (INRAE)
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has very acid sands and ordinary brown soils. In practice, the soil is often acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then 4475.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −8 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 57 available plants that withstand −8 °C
Sold out for now: 43 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Hana Yuzu, Haruka, Harumi, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Moro Orange, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Rio Red Grapefruit, Salustiana Orange, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Thornless Yuzu, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Yuzu, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −5 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Carvalhal Early Mandarin
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Star Ruby Grapefruit
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Bergamot Fantastico
down to −7 °C · €35.00
-
Tavares Limequat
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Early Clementine
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Moon Finger Lime
down to −7 °C · €41.00
-
Encore Mandarin
down to −7 °C · €35.00
-
Purple Finger Lime
down to −7 °C · €45.00
See all 15 available plants that withstand −5 °C
Sold out for now: 3 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Iyo Mikan Tangor, Mandalate Mandarin, US SuperNa.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −5 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−8 °Cone winter in ten
Coast and Bassin d'Arcachon
Lège-Cap-Ferret, Arcachon, Andernos-les-Bains, Lacanau, Hourtin, Vendays-Montalivet, Soulac-sur-Mer
See the citrus trees for this area
The ocean softens the winters, especially on the shores of the Bassin: one winter in ten, Cap-Ferret only falls to −5.8 °C, mild enough to try a lemon tree with a fleece; choose your citrus trees according to the nearest station. Behind the dunes, Lacanau (−8 °C) and Vendays-Montalivet (−9.4 °C) freeze clearly more: orange trees, satsumas, yuzus, kumquats, citranges and the hardiest clementines spend the winter outdoors there, lemon trees and the other clementines with a fleece. The wind and the salt spray damage the leaves; plant sheltered by a hedge or a wall, in improved sand that holds a little water in summer.
Vendays-Montalivet
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has sands and very acid sands. In practice, the soil is often acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then 4475.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −8 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 57 available plants that withstand −8 °C
Sold out for now: 43 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Hana Yuzu, Haruka, Harumi, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Moro Orange, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Rio Red Grapefruit, Salustiana Orange, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Thornless Yuzu, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Yuzu, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −5 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Carvalhal Early Mandarin
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Star Ruby Grapefruit
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Bergamot Fantastico
down to −7 °C · €35.00
-
Tavares Limequat
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Early Clementine
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Moon Finger Lime
down to −7 °C · €41.00
-
Encore Mandarin
down to −7 °C · €35.00
-
Purple Finger Lime
down to −7 °C · €45.00
See all 15 available plants that withstand −5 °C
Sold out for now: 3 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Iyo Mikan Tangor, Mandalate Mandarin, US SuperNa.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −5 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−10 °Cone winter in ten
Blayais, Libournais, Entre-deux-Mers and Sauternais
Libourne, Saint-Émilion, Coutras, Blaye, Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Créon, Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, Langon
See the citrus trees for this area
The inland hillsides and valleys are colder: −10 °C one winter in ten, −6 °C in an ordinary winter. The valley bottoms fall lower: Coutras −11 °C one winter in ten, and Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues recorded −17 °C in February 2012. Satsumas, yuzus, kumquats and citranges spend the winter outdoors here; orange trees and clementines with a fleece, and lemon trees stay in pots. On the chalky hillsides, plant on a mound.
Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has soils waterlogged part of the year, chalky soils and silty soils. In practice, the soil is often chalky, winter-wet and silty.
Rootstocks to favour: C35, then Poncirus. Poncirus only if the active lime stays below about 5% (soil analysis).
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −10 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
See all 32 available plants that withstand −10 °C
Sold out for now: 27 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Corsican Mountain Orange, Hana Yuzu, Harumi, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Nameiwa Kumquat, Rio Red Grapefruit, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Pucheng, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −7 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Fukumoto Orange
down to −8 °C · €35.00
-
Clemenules Clementine
down to −9 °C · €35.00
-
Marsh Seedless Grapefruit
down to −9 °C · €29.75
-
Kabosu
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Tavares Limequat
down to −7 °C · €29.75
-
Cara Cara Orange
down to −8 °C · €35.00
See all 33 available plants that withstand −7 °C
Sold out for now: 19 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Haruka, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Iyo Mikan Tangor, Mandalate Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Moro Orange, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Salustiana Orange, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, US SuperNa, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −7 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
−11 °Cone winter in ten
Landes de Gascogne
Cestas, Salaunes, Saint-Jean-d'Illac, Belin-Béliet, Hostens, Saint-Symphorien, Captieux
See the citrus trees for this area
The pine forest freezes hard: −11 °C one winter in ten, −7 °C in an ordinary winter, and −14.5 °C recorded at Captieux in December 2001. Citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas spend the winter outdoors here; the other satsumas, kumquats, orange trees and the hardiest clementines need a fleece; lemon trees and the other clementines stay in pots. The sand is acid, poor and dry in summer: plant in a large hole with improved soil and water in summer.
Captieux
The soil of the area and the rootstock
According to the soil map, this area mostly has very acid sands. In practice, the soil is often acid.
Rootstocks to favour: Poncirus, then 4475.
Your plot may be different. Look at the Géoportail soil map (in French) around your home, then refine with our 5-step test.
In open ground, without protection
They withstand −11 °C. In the first years, a fleece on nights below −5 °C is a sensible precaution.
-
Satsuma China S-2
down to −12 °C · €41.00
-
Changsha Mandarin
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Changshan Huyou
down to −11 °C · €38.00
-
Sudachi Seneca
down to −12 °C · €42.00
-
Yuzu 3
down to −15 °C · €38.00
-
Morton Citrange
down to −15 °C · €35.00
-
Clemyuz
down to −12 °C · €38.00
-
Eremorange
down to −12 °C · €35.00
See all 19 available plants that withstand −11 °C
Sold out for now: 12 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Ambersweet, Auline, Bendizao Mandarin, Hana Yuzu, Satsuma Dobashi Beni, Satsuma Kowano, Satsuma Louisiana, Satsuma Miho, Satsuma Saigon, Satsuma Waze, Thornless Yuzu, Yuzu.
In open ground, with a fleece on frosty nights
They withstand −8 °C. A winter fleece put on at each frost and removed as soon as the frost stops, and a sheltered spot against a south-facing wall.
-
Satsuma Miyagawa
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Ermelo Orange
down to −10 °C · €47.00
-
Kishu Kino Kuni Mandarin
down to −10 °C · €42.00
-
Welker Grapefruit
down to −10 °C · €35.00
-
Kinkoji
down to −10 °C · €38.00
-
Orisa 9 Tangor
down to −9 °C · €41.00
-
Yuko
down to −9 °C · €38.00
-
Fukushu Kumquat
down to −10 °C · €32.30
See all 38 available plants that withstand −8 °C
Sold out for now: 31 other plants
On their page, “Notify me” lets you know when they are back: Corsican Mountain Orange, Dom Joao Orange, Fragola Orange, Haruka, Harumi, Hassaku, Hyuganatsu, Jabara, Juanita Mandarin, Kino Kuni Mikakukishu Mandarin, Mapo Tangelo, Meiwa Kumquat, Minneola, Moro Orange, Nameiwa Kumquat, Natsudaidai, Ota 38 Tangor, Rio Red Grapefruit, Salustiana Orange, Sanbokan, Satsuma China S-3, Satsuma Iwasaki, Satsuma Pucheng, Sciara x Clem Blood Tangor, Seminole, Setubalense Mandarin, Shunkokan, Ugli, Vaniglia Sanguigno Orange, Wekiwa Tangelolo, Z194 Ichangensis x Sinensis.
The others: in a pot, brought in for the winter
Lemons, limes and less hardy citrus (more tender than −8 °C): in a large pot, outdoors from spring to autumn and brought into a bright, frost-free room for the winter. All our citrus trees.
Readings from the Météo-France stations (winters 1996-1997 to 2025-2026)
| Station | Altitude | Ordinary winter | One winter in ten | Record | Winters at −9 °C or below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap-Ferret | 8 m | −3 °C | −5.8 °C | −7 °C (30 December 1996) | 0 out of 30 |
| Bordeaux (Paulin) | 10 m | −3.3 °C | −7.5 °C | −8.7 °C (8 February 2012) | 0 out of 30 |
| Pauillac | 26 m | −4 °C | −7.3 °C | −8.3 °C (1 March 2005) | 0 out of 30 |
| Lacanau | 16 m | −4.5 °C | −8 °C | −10 °C (30 December 1996) | 1 out of 29 |
| Villenave-d'Ornon (INRAE) | 25 m | −5.3 °C | −8.4 °C | −10.1 °C (30 December 1996) | 1 out of 30 |
| Talence | 15 m | −5.4 °C | −9 °C | −9.3 °C (30 December 1996) | 2 out of 23 |
| Bordeaux-Mérignac | 47 m | −5.6 °C | −8.8 °C | −9.4 °C (30 December 1996) | 1 out of 30 |
| Saint-Émilion | 38 m | −5.6 °C | −9 °C | −12 °C (9 February 2012) | 3 out of 30 |
| Cazats | 114 m | −5.8 °C | −10 °C | −11.6 °C (9 February 2012) | 4 out of 24 |
| Sauternes | 65 m | −6 °C | −9.2 °C | −11.6 °C (9 February 2012) | 3 out of 30 |
| Cadaujac (INRAE) | 25 m | −6.1 °C | −10.3 °C | −10.6 °C (17 December 2001) | 6 out of 30 |
| Saint-Sulpice-de-Pommiers | 82 m | −6.1 °C | −9.5 °C | −12.1 °C (9 February 2012) | 2 out of 24 |
| Saint-Gervais | 42 m | −6.5 °C | −9.4 °C | −10.7 °C (9 February 2012) | 3 out of 29 |
| Vendays-Montalivet | 6 m | −6.5 °C | −9.4 °C | −10.2 °C (9 February 2012) | 6 out of 30 |
| Cazaux (La Teste-de-Buch) | 23 m | −6.9 °C | −10.2 °C | −12.3 °C (17 December 2001) | 6 out of 30 |
| Belin-Béliet | 45 m | −6.9 °C | −10.6 °C | −10.7 °C (19 January 2017) | 4 out of 20 |
| Pierroton (INRAE, Cestas) | 60 m | −6.9 °C | −11.1 °C | −11.6 °C (1 March 2005) | 6 out of 24 |
| Salaunes | 50 m | −7 °C | −10.5 °C | −11 °C (1 March 2005) | 6 out of 27 |
| Sauveterre-de-Guyenne | 75 m | −7.2 °C | −10.6 °C | −12.2 °C (9 February 2012) | 5 out of 22 |
| Coutras | 21 m | −7.5 °C | −11 °C | −13 °C (9 February 2012) | 7 out of 22 |
| Donnezac | 62 m | −7.9 °C | −12 °C | −13.8 °C (10 February 2012) | 7 out of 24 |
| Captieux | 96 m | −8 °C | −13 °C | −14.5 °C (17 December 2001) | 12 out of 28 |
| Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues | 80 m | −8.5 °C | −13 °C | −17 °C (9 February 2012) | 11 out of 24 |
“Ordinary winter”: half of the winters go colder, the other half less cold. “One winter in ten”: this cold is reached or exceeded in about one winter in ten. Calculations by the Greffeur d'agrumes nursery.
How to read these figures
The hardiness given on our product pages is the cold that an adult, healthy and hardened citrus tree withstands during a short frost. We compare it with the cold that comes back about one winter in ten: a plant listed “without protection” withstands at least that cold. In harsher winters, about three in thirty, keep a winter fleece ready for the coldest nights.
Very harsh winters are still possible. In February 2012, Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues fell to −17 °C and Saint-Émilion to −12 °C. In late December 1996, Bordeaux-Mérignac recorded −9.4 °C. Such cold can burn the leaves or a few shoots of a citrus tree that is only just hardy enough. Wait for spring to see what grows back before pruning.
To understand what helps a tree get through frost, read Understanding citrus hardiness.
Our advice for the Gironde
- Avoid hollows. Cold air flows down and collects at the bottom of valleys and in basins. The records show it: one winter in ten, Coutras falls to −11 °C while Saint-Émilion, on its plateau, stays at −9 °C. Plant halfway up a slope or against a south-facing wall, never at the lowest point of the garden.
- On the coast, shelter from the wind. The west wind and the salt spray burn the leaves. A hedge, a wall or a fence on the ocean side is often enough. Conditions there are favourable: choose your citrus trees according to the cold at the nearest station.
- Take care of drainage. The clay soils along the Garonne and the Dordogne hold water in winter. In heavy or chalky soil, plant on a mound.
- Choose the rootstock for your soil. Poncirus is the most cold-resistant. On the chalky hillsides of the Libournais and the Entre-deux-Mers, FA5 does better. In the acid sand of the Landes, 4475 adapts well, in a large hole with improved soil and with more water in summer. Our 5-step test helps you choose: Which rootstock should you choose?
- Plant in spring, once the frosts are over. The tree then has a whole season to take root before its first winter. From September onwards, no fertiliser and no pruning.
- Protect young plants on nights below −5 °C during the first years. Put the winter fleece on at each frost and take it off as soon as the frost stops.
- Mulch in summer only, against drought, without the straw touching the trunk. Pull it away from the foot of the tree at the end of autumn: moisture at the collar encourages phytophthora.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plant a lemon tree in the ground in Bordeaux?
Yes, with a fleece. Lemon trees withstand about −5 °C, and the Bordeaux area falls to −8 °C one winter in ten: put a fleece on at each frost and plant against a south-facing wall. On the shores of the Bassin d'Arcachon, where Cap-Ferret only falls to −5.8 °C, it can also be tried in the ground with a fleece at each frost. For a sour fruit without protection in Bordeaux, choose a yuzu or a hardy lemon substitute instead. You will find them in Lemons and lemon substitutes.
Which citrus trees withstand the cold best in the Gironde?
In Bordeaux, on the coast, in the Blayais, the Libournais and the Entre-deux-Mers, satsumas, yuzus, citranges and kumquats spend the winter without protection. In the Landes girondines, at −11 °C one winter in ten, citranges, yuzus and the hardiest satsumas also manage without it; the other satsumas and kumquats need a fleece. They are brought together in Hardy citrus.
What about orange trees and clementines?
They withstand −7 to −9 °C depending on the variety. In Bordeaux and on the coast, orange trees and the hardiest clementines spend the winter outdoors without protection; the other clementines need a fleece on frosty nights, sheltered by a south-facing wall. In the Blayais, the Libournais, the Entre-deux-Mers and the Sauternais, orange trees and clementines live in the ground with a fleece. In the Landes girondines, orange trees and the hardiest clementines can try it with a fleece; keep the other clementines in pots.
My town is not listed: which area should I choose?
Take the nearest area, then compare with the nearest station in the table of readings. Near the ocean or the estuary, winter is milder; in the Landes forest or at the bottom of a valley, take off one or two degrees.
These figures are guidelines. Your garden may be milder or colder than the nearest station. A question about your plot? Write to us.
Sources: Météo-France, daily basic climatological data (data.gouv.fr, Licence Ouverte 2.0); near the eastern border, also the Deutscher Wetterdienst (Datenlizenz Deutschland 2.0); towns, altitudes and boundaries: INSEE, IGN (Admin Express, RGE ALTI) and geo.api.gouv.fr (Licence Ouverte); soils: dominant soil map INRAE / Gis Sol (Licence Ouverte). Topsoil lime: LUCAS, European Commission, JRC (ESDAC, Ballabio et al. 2019).